PPRA gives parents some level of control over their child’s participation in third-party survey research or exposure to instructional materials developed by researchers. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records. The ability to opt out of health education would be an institutional, local or state law, and is not covered in this module about research. The access to medical records would be covered under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is not covered in this module as it does not relate to research in public schools.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Based on the information provided, it seems the correct answer is that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records, while the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) gives parents control over their child’s participation in third-party survey research and exposure to instructional materials.
Explanation
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA, parents have the right to access their children’s educational records, request amendments to these records, and consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the records. This legislation is crucial in ensuring that students’ educational information is not shared without parental consent, thereby promoting privacy and confidentiality in educational settings.
PPRA, on the other hand, is focused specifically on the rights of parents concerning their children’s participation in surveys and research activities. This act requires schools to obtain written consent from parents before students can participate in surveys that collect sensitive information. This provision is particularly important as it protects students from being subjected to third-party research without parental knowledge or consent.
In contrast, the ability to opt-out of health education programs typically falls under state or local regulations, and this aspect does not fall under FERPA or PPRA. Such opt-out provisions often relate to health education content, which can vary significantly between states and districts.
Finally, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) governs the privacy and security of medical records but is not applicable to educational research or the records maintained by educational institutions under FERPA. While HIPAA protects individual health information in medical contexts, FERPA specifically addresses the privacy of educational records, highlighting the distinct purposes and jurisdictions of these laws.
In summary, while FERPA and PPRA both play vital roles in protecting students’ rights, they serve different functions in the context of education and research, ensuring both educational and personal information is safeguarded.